FIRST FAILURE

[sherlock]

Smoked two slabs of ribs Saturday.

One with just salt and pepper

The other with a dry rub.

After 1 1/2 hours, I started spraying them with equal parts apple juice and Icemans sauce until they were done. (Icemans sauce just arrived. In fact the ribs were in the smoker when the delivery arrived).


I got the recipe for the rub mix on site and it made about a cup or so. I thought I had seen folks on tv use dry rubs and it looked like they applied it VERY liberally. In fact it looked like the ribs were encrusted with the rub. I used abou 2/3's to 3/4's on what I made unto one slab of ribs.


The salt & pepper one was great. Icemans sauce had just the right amount of bit. The "rubbed" slab was not edible. I did eat one rib but it burned my mouth way too much to be good.

Yesterday, I took it and washed it under running water, still too hot.

Put it in a pot, brought it to a boil and let it simmer for ten minutes. Still too hot.

Dumped out the water rinsed it, and put in clean water and simmered it again for ten minutes. Tasted edible. I am going to pull the meat off, put some mild sauce on it and use it in sandwiches. May be ok.

How rub should I apply next time?

[Wildcat]

Iceman's rub is wonderful on ribs but a little goes a long way.

[Duster]

sorry to hear of your misfortune sherlock, I can't be much help for you though, sorry I haven't done ribs yet but want to soon. Thanks for your post, If it makes you feel better at least one newbie learned from your mistake.

[LilSmoker]

Hey chin up sherlock!, that's not a failure..............it's a variation!

[Mr Walleye]

Sherlock

When I first did ribs I did the same thing so don't feel bad. My thoughts are along the same lines as the question regarding how much is the right amount of smoke. It is kinda a personal taste thing but I think anybody starting out should rule on the side of to little as opposed to to much. This applies to both smoke and rub until you get a handle on your own personal taste. I know myself I like just a light dusting of rub on them, Then I use a mop sauce every hour after the smoke is done made up of apple juice, bbq sauce and a little shot of cider vinegar, again just kinda a personal taste thing. Sometimes I change it up a bit just for something different.

I agree with LilSmoker, there are no failures.... just variations!

Mike

[sherlock]

JUST VARIATIONS ! ! ! ! !

I like that.

Thanks everybody.

Next time, I will sprinkle on like salt and pepper.

Nathan

[iceman]

Like that ole furry dude (AND WINNER  ;D ) Wildcat says, a little goes a long way on some of those rubs.

[Wildcat]

If my first batch of ribs had been any tougher, I would have called it rib jerky!  ;D

[Tiny Tim]

I think somebody switched my first batch of ribs for some Marlboro's that had already been used.

[Ontrack]

My first rack(s) of ribs were so dry I trashed them-but not Bradley's fault. I took them off the BDS like I used to do with the old water smokers, then put them on the grill for way too long. But, I learned from my mistake, and have done ribs 4 or 5 times since, and they were delicious! (Thanks to a lot of good advice from you guys)

[hillbillysmoker]

Just remember that each smoke is an adventure. Something to experience, something to learn, and something for a reward. All of us have been there, so hey.....it's an adventure.....plan the next one and don't look back.

[iceman]

Man if I sat back and thought real hard of all my mishaps and garbage I created I'd start shaking in my boots. hillbilly's right though. Every smoke puts you another step higher up the mountain. Just don't look back and enjoy where your going.
Most important is to enjoy the experience and be sure to share the times with friends and family. ;)

[Habanero Smoker]

Application of the rub also depends on the ingredients in that rub, so some rubs you will apply liberally others should be applied in moderation.

If you have this problem again, when you put the ribs in a pot to simmer; take a couple of medium size potatoes, peeled and quartered and throw them in the pot also. Starchy vegetable will absorb more of the capsaicin then just using plain water, and it may reduce the heat to an acceptable level.

[La Quinta]

Sherlock! My first pastrami was a nightmare!!! Second one I could serve at any deli!!! (Thanks to Habs!!) Human nature says we like to make everything perfect (oh God...I sound like a shrink) anyway...it's kinda fun to have a "slip up" every once in a while...makes you want to try it again!!! And again...and again!!! :)

[Wildcat]

My dog is always hoping that I mess it up real bad!  ;D  She will eat anything, even tobasco sauce.